Baira chief's monopoly takes toll on workers

Although
the governments of both countries fixed the fee for migration at $1200 or Tk 84,000,
the intelligence agency reported that Salim is charging an extra of Tk 40,000
or more from each emigrating worker hiking up the cost to Tk 1.25 lakh.
<P>The
workers however said they are paying Tk 1.50 lakh to Tk 2 lakh for going to the
South East Asian country which withdrew restrictions on importing manpower from
Bangladesh in July last year.</P><P>The report prepared by the Directorate General
of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) said Salim set up an office named ‘Baira KL SDN
BHD’ in Kuala Lumpur illegally and is charging Tk 2000 or 100 Malaysian Ringgit
from each worker in the name of service charge without giving any receipt.</P><P>&quot;Salim
and his men who run the Kuala Lumpur office never cares for the regulations of
Baira and the interest of the country,&quot; said the report that was submitted
to the ministries of home affairs, and expatriates’ welfare and overseas employment
in October last year.</P><P>The intelligence report mentioned that the Baira president
even threatened Malaysian employers and Malaysian outsourcing companies with possible
suspension of supply of workers from Bangladesh if they are unwilling to allocate
a major share of job demand letters for his own recruiting agency. His agency’s
name is Silver Line Associates located at Gulshan in Dhaka.</P><P>He even demanded
from other recruiting agencies a portion of their job orders for his own agency
and threatened them with complete loss of business if they refuse to share, the
report noted.</P><P>&quot;This kind autocratic attitude of Salim frustrated other
recruiting agencies,&quot; said the report signed by DGFI Director General Maj
Gen Sadik Hasan Rumi.</P><P>It also suggested government initiatives so no agency
can charge more than Tk 84,000 from an emigrating worker and for dealing with
Malaysia at the government level for supplying manpower.</P><P>The report appreciated
the new system of computerised online communication with Malaysia in the sector
saying that distributing job demand letters to recruiting agencies equally is
the main task of Baira, but its President MAH Salim established his monopoly on
the business instead.</P><P>&quot;There is no other country that is so actively
involved with Malaysia in supplying manpower,&quot; it added.</P><P>Following
submission of the report and widespread media coverage, the commerce ministry
during the immediate past BNP government served a show cause notice to Baira asking
it why its executive committee should not be suspended and an administrator not
be appointed.</P><P>In reply to the notice, Baira wrote a letter to the ministry
denying the allegations, asking for documents supporting the allegations, and
requesting withdrawal of the show cause notice.</P><P>In the letter Baira also
sought a hearing on the matter prompting the ministry to convene a hearing on
November 8, but the association, contradicting its own request, filed a writ petition
on November 6 challenging the show cause notice.</P><P>The High Court stayed the
November 8 hearing and directed the commerce ministry to provide Baira with the
requested documents and then to proceed in accordance with the law, but the ministry
did not take any legal action although it did supply the requested documents.</P><P>A
high-powered committee created to investigate the allegations against Baira and
its President MAH Salim also could not give any report.</P><P>When contacted,
Salim said he has to charge a fee of Tk 1.10 lakh to Tk 1.20 lakh, which is Tk
35,000 to Tk 40,000 more than the official fee, to bribe officials in Malaysia.</P><P>He
rather put the blame on another powerful syndicate saying that the syndicate in
collusion with some powerful Malaysian officials is charging Tk 1.80 lakh to Tk
2 lakh for every worker.</P><P>&quot;The members of that syndicate rather conspired
against me to make more profit ignoring Baira regulations,&quot; he said. He however
did not clarify who is the boss of the syndicate but said it is a ‘powerful syndicate
with links to a powerful minister of the immediate past BNP government’.</P><P>He
hinted that the manpower business with Malaysia might collapse if necessary actions
are not taken to check the syndicate.</P><P><I>Source: http://www.thedailystar.net/2007/01/26/d7012601085.htm</I>